


life and death

by bluehooodie



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fainting, First Kiss, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24183841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluehooodie/pseuds/bluehooodie
Summary: Merlin faints after a particularly draining spell trying to bring back the Knights of Camelot.(set sometime far in the future, after Arthur returns as Once and Future king)
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 140





	life and death

“ _...byraene sylfum sum segen ær sæġdest!”_

The gold quickly fades from Merlin’s eyes as he finishes the spell and closes the ancient book. Arthur’s mouth is agape, not yet used to Merlin using magic and still not realizing the power his servant truly holds. 

“That was amazing, Merlin, I still can’t understand how you kept this secret so long… do you think it worked?” 

Merlin doesn’t have time to answer as his face loses color and he falls to the floor, eyes rolled up into his head. The book loses a few pages as it scatters across the uneven castle ground. 

Arthur immediately cradles Merlin in his arms on the floor, holding him in his lap. 

“Merlin? Merlin please- no, no...” he shakes Merlin roughly, but Merlin still doesn’t wake up. Arthur stares intently at the face of the man he hasn’t seen in centuries, silently willing him to open his eyes. 

“Merlin... I’m so sorry. Don’t leave me-- it’s all my fault, I never should have left you alone. It must have been-- All these years, I can’t, I-- I lo--“ he’s cut off by Merlin coming to, muttering something and moving his hand as if to wave Arthur away. 

“Merlin! You’re alive!” Arthur’s smile is ear to ear and the tears welling up in his eyes fall, Arthur holds Merlin a bit away to get a better look at him. 

“I really need to teach you the difference between an unconscious man and a dead one, sire,” Merlin says, a smirk on his face but love and admiration in his eyes.

“I thought-- I thought-- well, it doesn’t matter. You’re not dead.”

Arthur’s smile remains but his tears dry away, and he looks at Merlin tenderly for a few moments. Merlin returns his gaze, glancing downward minutely. 

“So, how do you tell the difference?” Arthur asks, voice soft. 

Merlin blinks, distracted by Arthur’s lips and their physical closeness. 

“The difference of what?” 

“Between a dead man and an unconscious one,” Arthur is smirking now, a light blush spread over his cheeks.  
Merlin’s eyes flick back to his King’s. 

“Give me your hand.” 

Arthur does. 

Merlin makes Arthur’s hand into just his first two fingers, closing the rest in a fist. Merlin’s hand on top of Arthur’s, he guides it to his neck.  
“You look.. for a pulse.” 

After a few moments Merlins takes his hand away from Arthur’s, and Arthur feels it; Merlin’s heartbeat. 

Merlin begins to look away, the logical part of his brain realizing finally the situation they’re in, Merlin under Arthur, Arthur’s hand on Merlin's neck, Arthur leaning in...  
Arthur leaning in? 

Before he knows it, Arthur’s lips are against his and they’re kissing. Arthur Pendragon, Once and Future King of Camelot and his manservant-wizard combo. In the ruins of their castle, where they stood those thousand years ago.  
Merlin finally closes his eyes and kisses back. He’s alright with that.  
They’re there for a few minutes at least, enjoying the presence of one another after all these years and not giving another care in the world. 

“Should we tell them to get a chamber?” 

Arthur is the one to hear the whisper which comes from behind a ruined wall. He breaks the kiss (Merlin gives a grunt of disapproval) and eyes the wall with concern. Maybe he just imagined it. He goes back to look at Merlin, the poor man's face sporting a dazed grin and his eyes completely focused on Arthur. 

And then Gwaine and Percival are there. Elyan and Lancelot too, with Leon a bit further behind. They’re clad in their usual chain mail and armor, and all wearing grins as big as the sun, though clearly some are more concerned with their ruined surroundings than the scene of their king kissing his manservant before them. 

“They'll definitely need one at some point soon, I imagine-“ Percival replies to Gwaine, before Merlin and Arthur scramble up, embarrassed and astonished all the same. 

“I didn’t think it worked- the spell! It brought you back!” Merlin laughs in disbelief.  
The faces of men he hasn’t seen in centuries are before him. Arthur is at his side (their relationship has a bit of a new development, but they’ll get to that). All seems to be going well for Merlin for the first time since— well, he can’t remember. 

And then, clutching the discarded ancient spellbook, Morded appears.

**Author's Note:**

> I love these boys so much :''')
> 
> yo waddup been a while huh
> 
> I wrote this in about 30 minutes this morning right after waking up and decided I should actually give some sort of proof of life on here, so here ya go
> 
> might continue if I ever feel inspired or it gets a good reception idk yet


End file.
